Card-index system



May s, 1928.

' D. E. HUNTER CARD INDEX SYSTEM Filed April'll, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ACME 6UPPLYCO- ACOLA RH D/O C0.

ACORD- MILLER c0.

ACT/V5 CEREAL. CO. ADVANCE PRINT! N T Mm BN Em A ABRAHAM A'BPAS/VE M ACKL me 5 ..Z1 waiztof 1312M 66/; W M11444 M May s, 1928. 1,668,908

D. E. HUNTER CARD INDEX SYSTEM Filed April 11, l927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Illim v J I II/fiiaezzto,

Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED STATES] DAVID E. HUNTER, or .MUsKEsoN; MICHIGAN, 'AssxeNoR TO T HAW-WALKER COMPANY, or mus rneon, rcmsnn, 'A foonr'oaa'rron .oF'M'IeHIGANQ lp plieation'filed April n; 192 7. Seria1 No.182,741.

This invention relates to improvements in cardindex systems and more particularly to systems for filing of reference andlike I cards and embodying the general characteristics disclosed in Letters Patent No.- 1,539,411 granted toE. W. Davis on May 26. 1925, namely, the use and provision of interconnected, card-holding. members, which, when expanded vertically with'the drawing of the rear-most card-holding member or guide card from the drawer or cabinet, ex poses thetop edges of all 'of'the cards to view simultaneously, thus enabling the oper- .7 ator to select the desired card by its title heading without thumbing throughthe en tire group of cards as'is theordmaryypractice.

While such a system is of unquestionable merit, experience and, usage has revealed cer- V tain faults which have tended toslessen its practicability for all purpos'esand ability to withstand hard usageand careless manipu-f lation by operators.

To enumerate some of the objections to thei so-called visible systems of card indexing of the above mentioned type, which the pres ent invention seeks to'correct', there may be mentioned The inability ofiithe card-hold' ing members to remainextended withoutbeing'held by the operator, the failure. of the cards to remain seated in the card-holding members when the same are collapsed, .thus

necessitating a finahtapping of thecards into place, the absence ofnea-ns for hmiting the withdrawal of the card-holding memhers with the attendant possibility of tearing and otherwise disorganizing the system, and

finally, the disruption of the card holding members in'an attempt to insert or stuiftoo many cards into one nie'mberg The elimination of these andotherdefects in the ordinary systems is, thereforefthe object ofthe present invention, a preferredem bodiment being disclosed in the accompany-c ing drawings in which:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of an ordlnarv card-filing drawer showingone of the units expanded.

Figure 2 is a view in VQItiCtLhSBCiDiOIi lengthwise of a drawer showing several cardholding units in normal position.

Figure 3 1s a similar view showingone oi the units m expanded POSlillOIL;

T Figure 4 is a view in front elevation ofone of the units removed from the'container.

Figure 5 is=a View in rear elevation of. the

members connected with asimilar member in front, the two portions of the figure showing the two "members in their'normal a'nd extended positions.

Figure 8 is a perspectiveview of the'two vmembers shown in Figure 'lybut partially unfolded to show the interlocking connection; I

Figure 9 is a view in rearelevation on plurality of card-holding members'in extended posit-ion and with the guide card removed; and

fiFigure '10 is a view' in section taken' on line 10-10 of Figureff).

As a container for thecards andYcardholding units, a drawer 1 ofthetypewhich slides into and out "of a filing cabinet is used as illustrated, although a "cabinet or other 'suitable holder may "be used. Aseries of cardsQ are arranged'in any desired order from front to rear of the container, with alphabetical titles Col-reference headings-2* "along their upperfmarg'inal"portions. Ex-

tending'lengthwise andcentrally of the bot-- tom wall of the drawer 'lis the usual slotl.

A removable guide rod 3 extends alongsaid slotfrom front to rear of said drawer and just below the surface of the bottom thereof.

The rodlhas the usual knob 3 atits forward end having threaded connection with the 1 front of the drawer.

throughout the length of the drawerfea'ch 7 section or unit being made up of an anchor ca1'cl'.4.-'at the fronuhaving atab 4 atlits lower edge through which the rod 3 passes, a

series of interconnected :and telescopic individualcard-holding members or pockets 5,

arranged one behind the other beyond the anchor card, and finally a guide card ,'6 of relatively stiff card 'board,and identified; by

bers 5 in a series is limited in number to say, ten or twelve, each member forming an upwardly opening pocket in which a single card is held, these pockets being closed at their lower edges. There are as many units "in the draweras its length will permit. It. may be desirable, and particularly when the drawer is of considerable length, todivide it lengthwise into several eompartment's by inserting partition walls Tcrosswise of the drawer at intervals, thereby separating the .units into groups so as to prevent crowding 1 and excessive compression of the units.

,Each individual card-holding member 5 is made froma sheet of tough paper or light I cardboard cut into a blank and folded in the following manner (Figures 6 and 8) :These blanks are generally rectangular in shape and are'divided into two main portions 8 and 9;by,.a transverse bottom fold line 10. The portion 8 is. slightly wider and forms the front wall of the card-holding member when the portions are folded together and asseme bled ith the other members. Sii'nilarly the j portion 9 forms the back or rear wall of the pocket,.its height, measured from the fold line 10 to its opposite edge, being slightly lessthan the width of the card to be held thereby, so that the top margin of the card will project above thepocket. Along the opposite side edges of the rear portion 9 are fiapsilt, 9 which are, folded rearwardly or away from the front wall portion 8 along vertical fold lines 9.. These flaps terminate short of the bottom fold line 10 by a distance of about to of an inch, this representing the distance of relative sliding or.

I shufliing movement between each member and its adjacent members. The spaces betweenthe lower edges of the flaps 5) and the fold line 10 are apart of two cut-out portions on opposite sides of the blank, and which continue beyond said fold line into the body of the front wall 8. Thus the edges :of these cut-out portions extend from the lower edges of the flaps 9 to the bottom fold line 10 and thence taper slightly inward as they cut into the front wall 8, for a distance ,of about of an inch, and then turn abrupt-- ly toward each other, almost at right angles and finally formdeep edgewiseopening notches 11, 11 about A, of an inch wide at their innerends and diverging gradually toward the side or vertical edges of the wall portion 8 (Figure 6) Along the top edge of front wall portion of the member just behind,

and so on through the depth of the unit. This-connection is a two-fold one, as follows:

,i lirshthe top flap 12 of the front wall 8 is si'inplyfolded or hooked over the top edge of rear wall 9 of the member in front, while the vertical flaps Q, 9 of said rear wall are interlocked with thenotches ll, 11 near the bottom of thefront wall so that the corners or shoulders below the notches are disposedbetween the rear wall. and its flaps, as clearly shown in Figure ,7.

New considering that the member in the rear is shifted vertically and the member 1n front is held stationary (Figure 7 on the right) it willbe seen that a limited relative movement is permitted, by the spacingof the lower edges of the flaps 9 ,9 of the station ary member from the bottom. fold line 10 of the member being moved, by a distance of about of an inch. Heneethe rear member can be shifted until stopped by the bottom edges of the flaps 9, 9 striking the bottom fold 10 in the front member. This movement therefore permits the top edge of the rear-member to be displaced or offset by the same distance above theirelatively stationary member, so that the card held in the shifted member will be elevated above the card held in the member immediately in front, and so on, throughout the entire unit.

It follows therefore that each member from front to rear will be elevated or offset above the member immediately in front by .the same distance and therefore the cards held in each individualmember will be simillll larly offset. with their top marginal portions exposed to view from the front as shown in Figure 1.

Likewise in closing-or collapsing the two members used to'ill'ustrate the method of interconnection, (Figures 6, 7; and 8) the member that has been elevated may be moved downwardly into its initial position but only a limiteddistance since'the top edge of the wall 9 will strike the fold 12 formed by the [lap 12 and thus'bring it to rest exactly behind the stationary member. This samelimitation of downward shifting movement between members applies to all members in a unit, so that even though the bottom wall of the drawer were notpresent to limit the downward movement, they would still he restrained from becoming disconnected, providing they were at the same time pressed together suiliciently to prevent the flaos from drawing out of interlocking connection. Thus it willbe seen that the present construction provides for limiting the relative movement between each holding member in a downward as well as an upward direction.

Having thus -farcon'sidered a plurality of card-holding members connected together in a series; the completion of the unit requires the attachment of the anchor card 4 at the I Vertically behind the g'uide card 6 which has frictional sliding engagement therewith through'the medium 01' atension clip15, which straddlesa'slot (3 in the bottom edge 'of-the guide card. The tension clipis made f1011"l a strip of light metal arranged trans- -verely of the blade with free end portions front and the guide'card' 6' at the rear.

As a convenientmethod of inserting the anchor card in place atthejfront of the unit,

it is preferably made in duplication ofthe rear wall portion 9 of a card-holding memher, that'is, with flaps 4 l along its side edges and terminat ng short of the bottom edge at a distance oi about A of an inch as in the card-holding members (Figure 4)." In thlsway the anchor card interlocks with e the notches 11, 11 of the front wall ofthe first card-holding member; whereby the latter can beelevated above the anchor card -whichis,heldstationaryby the rod 3 passt Figure A. V

Theguide card 6 may be attached at the rear ofthe unit in any suitable manneiythe simplest: perhaps being to paste the rear wall of the last card-holding member fiat against the front faceof the guide Card "To complete the unit for assembly'inv a drawer, an anchor bladeor spring leaf-13 is providedwhich coacts with the guidecard 6 to hold it in anypositionof elevation and also to exert a certain amount or pressure against the back'o'tthe guide card to hold the "unit under compression. This blade is athin strip of-steel or a length substant'i'ally equal to the width of the guide card.

The lower end oftheblade extends below the bottom of "the card hold-ingmembers and into the slot 1 in the bottomof the drawer.

' upwardly, terminating just'in front of the anchor card l in an upstandingfinger 14 Near the lower end o-tthe blade is a -hole'1-3 through whichthe rod3 passes and beyond the hole, the end portion of the blade is bent intotheform of a u shape'd clip 14 extend-;

'ing forwardly beneath the rod ,3 and then having a "semi circu'lar slot- 14 'gseating against the rod 3.

' 7 It ispreferred tojform the rately from theblade l3, and attach it to" the'lower end o'ftheblade adjacentthel'iole" 13, although bothcan be made in one piece if desiredby'bending thelower endof'the i they are being shiftedybutis only effective clip 14 sepablade. 1 The length of theclip '14: from front'to rear is such that it is justfequal to the thickness ofthe unit wherrfilled to itsnormal'capacity. Thus when the unit is insertedbetween otherunits the -U-shaped clip determinesthe space-to be'o'ccupied by itsassociated unit and preventsover-crowding and "undue *compression of the units to such an extent as to interfere I with their manipulatiOn p 7 As" already stated the blade "13 1 extends arenarrow parallel slots 15 15 through which theyblade is threaded, the tension be--- tween the blade and the clip creating a frictional sliding contact between the 'two, sufficient to hold the] guide card-in any positionalong the'blade/ In'order to limit the *relative sliding movement of the guide; card" along the blade;.l3, thelatter is provided nvith projections 16, 16 punchedout near: its

upper and lower ends. Thusin withdrawingthe guide; cardinorder to expose the cards 2 int-heparticular nnitbeing manip plated; the frictional" contact'between the clip 14 and the blade holds the unit in exit tended position, either-to its fullest; extent I or to'any intermediate position, independen'tlyof theQremaining-units or of the pressureexerted to compress the unit, thus leav- *in'g both hands of theroperator free to with-v draw-thedesired' card or-cards or to make notations therefrom. I It should be noted also thatlthe stop projection 1'6 'at theupper enctof: the blade is s'o" located 1 that the guide card cannot be withdrawn: to a-"greater "height than thcffull expansion of the cardhold ing' members, thus 1 preventing the members l'rom beingextended- 1:00 far and the same torn or disconneeted. Similarly to return the cards totheir closed position in the-drawer 1t1S 011ly-HQGGSSEUY to push the I upon the "remaining card-holdin g members tele'sc 'pe or collapse, carrying "thc'ffcards the tendency offcards to become unseated in card-hold1ng members while the same area f "being-closed, and thus creating the necess1ty -of tapping them down into place; This unseating of the cards is due to the'shnfliinga tion-which'takes place betweenthe cards and the walls of thecard 'h'oldingmembers as during: the downward shuliling movement inasmuch as they arepositively elevated'byen-- holding' members. Moreover. the-tendency to-unseat is attributableto the r'elativedegree of friction between the two faces of the 'cardandthe surfaces of the card-holding lUU ' guide card downwardly to -'i ts seatfwheregagement with the? bottom foldsof thecard;

members in contact therewith, so that the excess of friction exerted on the rear face of the card may be just enough to unseat and prevent it from following its card-holding member to the bottom. In the form ofc'ardholding member herein disclosed, the card has contact with its holding member on both faces and throughout the greater part of its area on both sides, in fact, it only has contact with an adjacent member throughout the area of the flap 12 of the member behind, which relatively small. its a result "therefore the balance of friction exerted on the card is in favor of its remaining seated in its lower central portion as at 17, Figures 8 z and 9, these projections being on the inner ylace of the'card and having the tendency of thickening the wall just enough to create a gripping aCtlOILOf the card-holding member on the card and prevent it from being dislodged from its seat during the closing of the unit.

In constructing the unit various details may be modified without departingfrom the spirit of the. invention,- both in materials usedand a rangement of parts, and forthis reason I do not wish to limit the invention to the precise disclosure except in so far as included in'the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a card index system, the combination with-a container of a plurality of individual card-holding members having interlocking sliding connection adapted to permit the relative displacement of said members and means coacting with one of said card holding members for holding the same in displaced posit-ion.

2. In a card index system, the combination of a plurality of card-holding members placed one behind the other and having in lfil'lOCklng sliding connection whereby each member may beshitted a predetermined dis- 'iance beyond its adjacent members, and

means coacting with one of said members for limiting the shifting movement of said members and holdingthe same in shifted position.

3. In a card index system, the combination.

v with a container of a plurality of card-holding members having interlocking sliding connection permitting a limited relative displacement thereo'l', means for anchoring the masses one of the end members in said container and means coactmg with the other end member for holding the same in displaced posiulOIl.

i. In a card index system, the combination,

with acontainer of a plurality of card-holding' members normally placed one behind the other and in said container and having in tel-locking sliding connection with each other, whereby each successive member from,

, ment thereof and frictionallyholding the same in withdrawn position.

In a card index system, the combination witha container of a plurality of interconnected. card-holding members placed in line one behind the other and acapted to be displaced vertically with each successive member oflset above its adjacent number, and a member held against vertical displacement relative to said container and having sliding engagement with one of said card-holding members for frictionally retaining the same in displaced position.

6. In a card index system, the combination with a container of a plurality of interconnected card-holding members normally placed one behind the other and resting on the bottom of said container, said members having interlockinglsliding connection with each other whereby each member ,is capable of limited reciprocation relatlve to an adjacent member, in the vertical upward and downward movement of the rearmost-memher, anda member held against vertical displacement from said container; and having frictional sliding engagement with said rearmost member said member acting .to. limit the movement thereof and to hold thesame in displaced position.

7'. In a card indexsystem, the combination of a plurality of interconnected cardholding members placed in line one behind the other and normally adapted to restat their bottom edges on a supporting surface,

a guide card secured to the rearmost cardholding member, a vertical strip of resilient material fixed at its lower end, said guide card being adapted to have frictional sliding engagement with said strip.

8. Ina card index system, the combination of a container, aplurality ot interconnected card-holding members placed in line one behind the other in said container and normally adapted to rest at'their bottom edges on a supporting surface, a guide card secured to the rearmost card-holding memher, a resilient strip fixed at its lower end to said container against vertical displacement and extending upright adjacent said guide card, a member mounted on said guide card normally lull 9,111 a card index system, the combina tionwitha container of a plurality of card holding members,normally placed one behindthe other and resting on their bottom edges in sa1d conta1ner, sa d members havmg interlocking slidlngconnection whereby said members are uniformly .oifset one above the other from front to rear in the ver 'tical displacement of the rear'most member,

and a blade secured to thejbottom of said container:and extending vertically behind the rearmost member, ,a tension clip fixed to said rearmost member andhaving fries tional sliding engagement with said blade. 10. In an index system, the combination with a plurality of cards, of a plurality, of

individual card-holding members of fibrous material placed one behind the other and normally supportedin upright position, each ofsaid members being adapted to have limited sliding movement in a vertical direction relative to the member in front thereof whereby said members are successively offset above each other from front to rear in the vertical withdrawal" of the rearmost member, and means for causing a frictional contact betweeneach of saldmembers and the card held thereby.

11. In a card index system, the combination of a container, a series of; cards, a plurality of individual card-holding members placed one behind the other and normally supported in upright position in said con tainer, each of said members consisting of a sheet of fibrous material folded double to form an upwardly opening pocket adapted to receive a card with its top marginal portion projecting from the pocket and being adapted to have interlocking sliding connection with its adjacent members whereby in the vertical withdrawal of the rearmost member the top margins of the cards are successively offset above each other from front to rear, and means for increasing the frictional contact between a card-holding member and its card to hold the latter in its pocket in the relative movement of said members into normal position.

12. In an index system, the combination of a container, a series of expansible card- ,holding units mounted in said container,

each of said units comprising a plurality of individual card-holding members of fibrous material placed one behind the other and normally supported in upright position in said container, each of said members being adapted to have limited sliding movement in a vertical direction relative to the member in front thereof, means for anchoring the foremost member of each unit in said container, means for frictionally holding, the rearmost member 1n displaced positlon,

andrmeans for regulating the longitudinal" space occupiedby each unit in said con tamer. 13.111 a cardindex system the combination of a container, a plurality of card-hold; ing members placed in line one, behind the other and normally adapted to rest at their 'bottomfedges in said container, said membersvconsistingof sheets of fibrous material each folded double to ,form an upwardly opening pocket to receive a card and being a daptedjto be connected at its front and V rearto th adjacent membersto permit 11m: ited sliding movements relatively r thereto, and means for increasing the frictional contact between each member and its card consistingjof an embossed area inthe material r of eachmember opposite one faceoffitsl card."

14. In an index system, the combinationof acontainer, a series ofexpan'sible card-hold-'.

ing units mounted in said container, eachlof said units comprising a plurality of indi vidual card-holding members of fibrous material placed one behind the otherand nor mally supported in upright position .in said container, each of said members being adapted to have limited sliding movement 111 a vertical direction relative to the member :in front thereof, means for anchoringthe fore-x most member of each unit in said container,

a guide card attached to therearmost me m ber of each unit, a blade of resilient material extending vertically behind said guide card and having frictional sliding engagement therewith, a U-shaped clip at the lower end of said blade and adapted to embrace the lower edges of the card-holding members of each unit, and means for supporting said clip in the container.

15. In an index system, the combination of acontainer having a central longitudinal slot at its bottom and a rod extending from front to rear in said slot, a plurality of expansible units mounted in said container, each unit comprising a plurality of individual card-holding members connected with each other for limited relative displacement,

a card secured to the foremost member and anchored to said red at itslower edge, a guide card secured to the rearmost member. a blade of resilient material extending vertically behind said guide card and having a hole at its lower end engaged by said rod, and a U-shaped extension beneath said hole and extending forwardly and upwardly in front of said anchored card, and a slide fixed adjacent the lower edge of said guide card and mounted on'said blade for frictional sliding movement thereon, and stopsat; either end of said blade for limiting the vertical movement of said guide card. i

16. In a card index system, the combinaplacement, in the expansion of said unit,

and frictional means acting on said unit to hold the same in expanded position.

18. In card index system, the :combina: tion of an expansible unit comprising a series of card-holding members adapted to be engaged with each other for relative dislacement, in the expansion of said unit, and

'rictional means for holding said unit in expanded position including a stop member for limiting the expansion of said unit.

19. In a card index system, the combination of acontainer, a plurality of expansible units supported in said container, each unit comprising a series of card-holding members movable in their own planes relatlve to each other in the expansion of said unit, and means for defining the space occupied by each unit in said container.

20. In a card index system, the combination of a container, aplurality of expansible units adapted to be arranged one behind the other lengthwise of said container, each unit comprising a series of "card-holding members shiftable in their own planes relative to each other in the expansion of said unit, and

a member extending perpendicular to the planes of the members of each unit and longitudinally of said container, said memother lengthwise of said container, each unit comprising a series of card-holding members shiftable in their own planes relative to each other in the expansion of said unit, and U- shaped members embracing the lower portions of said units and having abutting engagement at their ends for determining the longitudinal space occupied by each unit in said container.

22. In a card index system, the combination of aseries of individual upright cardholding members of sheet material folded to form pockets and connected together for limited relative vertical displacement, a card inserted in each of said pockets with its edge normally seating at the bottom of said pocket. and means for insuring the retention of said cards in said pockets consisting of projections formed in the material of each pocket, and engaging said cards.

Signed at Muskegon, Mich, this 28th day of March, 1927.

7 DAVID E. HUNTER. 

